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Last October we got the news that the average Consumer Price Index (CPI-W), which impacts our military retired pay, Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuity, Social Security benefit, and VA pay, for the last three months of the fiscal year came in at 5.9% — the highest cost of living allowance (COLA) increase since 2008.

The index and COLA adjustments are meant to protect pay and benefits against inflation. A large increase reflects the fact that we, as consumers, are paying more for goods and services.

Inflation for medical care has typically outpaced general inflation for the last 40-plus years, increasing 4.11% in 2020 compared to our COLA increase of
1.3%. The three largest changes in medical pricing occurred in 1975 (12.06%), 1982 (11.60%), and 1980 (10.95%).

Unfortunately, in 2022 the opposite has occurred. Medical inflation through October 2021 was near an all-time low of 1.3% (according to the Consumer
Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). However, our TRICARE enrollment fees and copays are broadly tied to COLA — and the figures below reflect the increases for 2022. A complete listing of medical costs for each TRICARE plan can be found by using the cost comparison tool at TRICARE.mil.

[RELATED: MOAA's COLA Watch]

TRICARE published the 2022 enrollment, copay, and catastrophic cap increases on Nov. 5, 2021, just prior to the 2022 open season. Disappointingly, most of the 2022 increases were slightly more than our 5.9% COLA. COLA increases applied to TRICARE costs are rounded down to the whole dollar. However, the excess amounts are accumulated and carried over to the next year, which may result in increases above that year’s COLA.

2022 TRICARE Groups A & B Costs 

TRICARE Prime Group A (entered service prior to Jan. 1, 2018)

• Annual Premium (Individual): $323 ($303 in 2021)
• Annual Premium (Family): $647 ($606 in 2021)
• Deductibles (Individual/Family): $0 ($0 in 2021)
• Copayment (Primary): $22 ($21 in 2021)
• Copayment (Specialist): $33 ($31 in 2021)
• Catastrophc Cap: $3,000 ($3,000 in 2021)

TRICARE Prime Group B (entered service after Jan. 1, 2018)

• Annual Premium (Individual): $392 ($366 in 2021)
• Annual Premium (Family): $784 ($732 in 2021)
• Deductibles (Individual/Family): $0 ($0 in 2021)
• Copayment (Primary): $22 ($21 in 2021)
• Copayment (Specialist): $33 ($31 in 2021)
• Catastrophc Cap: $3,921 ($3,703 in 2021)

TRICARE Select Group A (entered service prior to Jan. 1, 2018)

• Annual Premium (Individual): $158 ($150 in 2021)
• Annual Premium (Family): $317 ($300 in 2021)
• Deductible (Individual): $150 ($150 in 2021)
• Deductible (Family): $300 ($300 in 2021)
• Copayment (Primary): $32 ($30 in 2021)
• Copayment (Specialist): $50 ($46 in 2021)
• Catastrophc Cap: $3,706 ($3,500 in 2021)

TRICARE Select Group B (entered service after Jan. 1, 2018)

• Annual Premium (Individual): $504 ($474 in 2021)
• Annual Premium (Family): $1,008 ($948 in 2021)
• Deductible (Individual): $168 ($158 in 2021)
• Deductible (Family): $336 ($317 in 2021)
• Copayment (Primary): $28 ($26 in 2021)
• Copayment (Specialist): $42 ($44 in 2021)
• Catastrophc Cap: $3,921 ($3,703 in 2021)